Sunday, December 19, 2010

Pandamen Taking Care of Baby Pandas

Pandamen in China are doing the unthinkable. They are raising the wild panda cubs in captivity. Before you get confused, the pandamen that I mentioned are indeed men but they are also "pandas"...at least in the eyes of those cute cubs. You see, Chinese scientists at Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan have began wearing panda suits as they try to raise captive-based panda cubs. Meaning that these scientists need to don their panda costumes when they take care of the little pandas. This idea might sound crazy but it is pivotal especially for the cubs' survival!

Scientists carrying physical examinations on the cub.

These scientists have discovered that these panda cubs must not have any human contact if they were to have any chance of surviving when they are released into the wild. The cubs are being raised by the scientists to prepare them for the wild. The scientists have to do everything from feeding the cubs to playing with them in their custom-made panda suits. One these cubs (around 4 months old) are considered fit, they will be released into the "wild" which is still in the sanctuary within Wolong Nature Reserve. Don't worry, these cubs are being monitored with hidden cameras all the time 24/7!

Panda cub has to be examined properly to ensure they are fir for the "wild".

These panda researchers in Sichuan are working hard to reintroduce giant pandas into their rightful place-wild, again in 15 years' time after they successfully breed these pandas in captivity. In the sanctuary, the pandas are provided with bamboos, which they must feed on almost all the time! Yes, you will be seeing them eating bamboos like non-stop because of bamboos are actually not nutritious enough.

This cub is being released into the "wild" to explore.

Recently it is reported that more than half the pandas in the sanctuary give birth to twins. But because these mother pandas lack milk, they can only care for one cub. However the scientists outsmart the mothers and tricked them into taking care of both cubs by swapping the cubs between the mother and an incubator. If not one of the cubs will be left to starve...and die. I am glad that the Pandamen are really doing whatever they can in their might to help the pandas. Kudos to these researchers.

Playtime is over for you. Back to your mama's side.

Now do you know that by putting on the panda costumes while taking care of the little cubs actually raised the cubs' survival rate by 98%? I salute them for this brilliant idea. And of course for the hard work they have put in. I bet it must felt like an oven inside the thick panda costumes. :)